Geneva, Sept. 17 (SANA)TheWorld Health Organizationsaid Wednesday it was seeing encouraging signs of progress in containing anEbolaoutbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but warned the outbreak was “far from over.” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said transmission was declining in the hardest-hit areas of Ituri province. “We are now beginning to see encouraging signs that we are making progress,” Tedros said in a statement posted on X. He cautioned that the virus could still spread, particularly in areas with high population movement. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s acting…

Washington, Sept. 17 (SANA)U.S. PresidentDonald Trumpsaid he hoped the war with Iran was nearing an end as he prepared to meet Gulf leaders on the sidelines of theU.N. General Assemblyin New York next week. The meeting, expected Tuesday, will bring together leaders or foreign ministers fromGulf Cooperation Councilcountries to discuss developments in the conflict and possible next steps, Axios reported, citing sources familiar with the plans. The talks are expected to focus onU.S. proposalsfor a postwar strategy as Trump and his administration work on plans for the period after the fighting e…

Kyiv, Sept. 17 (SANA)Thirteen people were injured inRussian airstrikeson the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the Black Sea port city of Odesa early Thursday, Ukrainian officials said. Ten people were injured inKyiv, where the strikes damaged residential buildings, apartments and warehouses, Reuters reported, citing Ukrainian officials. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said debris from the strikes fell near a gas station. In theOdesa region,three people, including a child, were injured when a Russian strike hit a 19-story residential building, local authorities said. The attacks came a day after five…

Strasbourg, Sept. 17 (SANA)TheEuropean Commissionhas proposed makingCanadatheEuropean Union’s first associate member, prompting U.S. President DonaldTrumpto threaten tariffs or trade restrictions if he considers the move hostile. AddressingCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carneyduring her annual State of the European Union speech before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, European Commission PresidentUrsula von der Leyensaid the EU urgently needed to rethink its partnerships. “I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to being the first associate member of the European Unio…

Daraa, Sept. 17 (SANA)ThreeInternal Security Forcespersonnel were martyred and others wounded during an operation to arrest a wanted individual in al-Sanamayn city inDaraacountryside, southern Syria, the Internal Security Forces said. An outlawed armed group led by the wanted individual opened fire on a security patrol and clashed with members of the patrol as they carried out the operation, according to a statement. Security forces remain deployed across al-Sanamayn and are pursuing members of the group and others involved in the attack, the statement said. The Internal Security Command in…

Beirut, Sept. 17 (SANA)Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes and Israeli forces conducted explosions and artillery fire across several areas ofsouthern Lebanonlate Wednesday, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported.NNA said Israeli aircraft launched two waves of strikes shortly after 11 p.m. on Mansouri, south of the coastal city of Tyre.Israeli forcesconducted explosions in the same town that caused strong tremors in nearby villages.The agency reported another explosion in the Wadi Mazlam area of Beit Lif in Bint Jbeil district and an explosion in Kfar Tebnit.In the Nabatieh area, NN…

Riyadh, Sept. 17 (SANA)Saudi Crown Prince and Prime MinisterMohammed bin Salmanand French PresidentEmmanuel Macrondiscussed regional developments, security and freedom of maritime navigation during a phone call, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Thursday. The two leaders reviewed regional developments and efforts to strengthen security and stability in the region and ensure the security and freedom ofmaritime navigation, SPA said. They discussed other issues of mutual interest. The call follows Mohammed bin Salman’s official visit to France on Aug. 23-24, when he met Macron and the two l…

Samarkand, Sept. 17 (SANA)Syria opened its campaign at the 46th FIDEChess Olympiadin Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with 4-0 victories over Niger in the Open section and Guinea in the Women’s section on Wednesday. Syrian Arab Chess Federation President Ali Abbas told SANA that the Syrian Men team defeatedNiger4-0, while the Women’s team recorded the same score against Guinea. Syria’s Men team featured Mazen Fandi, Rudy Bakr, Talal al-Zaeem and Bashir Aiti. The Women’s team comprised Rola Mahmoud, Nibal al-Jalda, Doha Farha and Naya Boufaroud. The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad is being held in Samarkand …

Steve Lutes: US-Syria commercial and economic ties deepen President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrives at Dubai World Trade Centre for Arab Media Summit Artists bring hope and beauty to Syrian Art Week in Damascus Haneen Choir brings Safita’s musical voice to Syrian Art Week Syrian Visual Arts Exhibition: ‘The Impact of Art 2026’ From tools of destruction to art Damascene craftsmen grant war relics new life Draykish: A scenic natural masterpiece amid the mountains and valleys of Tartous Al-Farnlaq Forests attract visitors with stunning landscapes and serene beauty

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)President Ahmad al-Sharaadiscussed withEnergy MinisterMohammadal-Bashirthe current state of Syria’s energy sector, fuel supplies, and ways to develop the country’s energy system and improve its efficiency.MHD

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Speaker of theSyrian People’s AssemblyAbdul Hamid al-Awak received aFrench Senatedelegation headed by Olivier Cigolotti, with members of the Assembly’s Bureau attending the meeting. The People’s Assembly said on its Telegram channel Wednesday that the talks focused on the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and ways to develop cooperation betweenSyriaandFrance. The French delegation included Étienne Blanc, Nicole Duranton, and Michel Grall. The French Chargé d’Affaires in Damascus, Jean-Baptiste Faivre. On Tuesday, the French delegation held talks with Finance Min…

Singapore, Sept. 16 (SANA)Only fourvesselscrossed theStrait of Hormuzon Tuesday, down from seven a day earlier and far below the 130 to 140 ships that typically used the waterway each day before the war, preliminaryshipping datashowed Wednesday. The four crossings were also well below the 10-day average of 18 vessels. Two ships entered the strait and two exited, with no very large crude carriers (VLCCs) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers among them. The actual number of crossings could be higher because some vessels transit the waterway with their Automatic Identification System (AIS) t…

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Syria seized 697 millionCaptagonpills, dismantled 90 international trafficking networks and shut down 17 production facilities in the 18 months following liberation, official figures showed, as authorities target the drug infrastructure left behind by the deposed regime.The figures cover operations from December 8, 2024, through June 26, 2026. Further seizures reported in July and September show that the counter-narcotics campaign has continued beyond that period. 1,550 operations target Captagon infrastructure The Drug Enforcement Department said authorities carried…

Washington, Sept. 16 (SANA)TheUnited Kingdomheld theHouthi militiaresponsible for the escalation in Yemen, condemning continued attacks onSaudi Arabia, increased military operations inside Yemen, and threats tointernational navigationand regional stability. During a UN Security Council session on Yemen on Tuesday, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Kate Foster said Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia the previous night injured 13 civilians, damaged homes and residential areas, and disrupted commercial air traffic. She affirmed Britain’s solidarity with Saudi Arabi…

Washington, Sept. 16 (SANA)TheU.S. House of Representativesvoted for a third time in favor of a resolution calling for an end to the war with Iran, in a move aimed at limitingPresident Donald Trump’s ability to continue military operations without congressional approval. The vote, held late Tuesday, passed by 220 votes to 204, according to The Associated Press. The resolution calls for ending unauthorizedU.S. military involvementin hostilities withIran. Previous measures of this kind did not reach the president’s desk, while the latest resolution must complete the legislative process before …

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Twenty people were injured in 23traffic accidentsacross different parts of Syria during the past 24 hours, according toCivil Defenseteams at the Ministry of Emergency Management and Disaster Administration. The Civil Defense said on its Telegram channel Wednesday that its teams provided first aid to the injured, transported them to hospitals for necessary treatment, cleared accident debris and secured the affected sites. The Civil Defense renewed its advice to drivers to reduce speed, ensure vehicles are in proper technical condition, including functioning brakes and…

Quneitra, Sept. 16 (SANA)Syria’s Civil Defense Directorate inQuneitraorganized a training course on Tuesday at the Cultural Center in Madinat al-Baath to raise awareness of the risks posed bywar remnantsand promote safe practices for dealing with them. The three-day course aims to equip volunteers with the knowledge needed to reduce risks, identify potential hazards and provide safety guidance to local communities. Youssef Abu Husseini, Director of Empowerment at the Southern Emergency and Disaster Management Directorate, told SANA that the training was conducted in cooperation with Aman Com…

Vienna, Sept. 16 (SANA)Syrian Atomic EnergyCommission and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday signed a Country Programme Framework (CPF) for the period of 2026–2031 at the Agency’s headquarters in Austrian capital, Vienna. The CPF was signed on behalf of the Syrian side by Chairman ofSyria‘s Atomic Energy Commission,Mudar al-Okla, and on behalf of IAEA by Deputy Director General and Head of Technical Cooperation Department, Hua Liu. Key framework for medium-term planning The Commission’s media office told SANA that the CPF constitutes the main reference framework for medi…

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Syria and Egypt held their second government meeting in Damascus on Wednesday, focusing on strengthening bilateral cooperation in economic, trade, investment, energy and other priority sectors. The meeting was chaired bySyrian Foreign and Expatriates MinistryAdviser Mohammad al-Jafal and Egypt’s Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptians Abroad Ambassador Ihab Fahmy, with the participation of representatives from ministries, institutions and bodies concerned with economy, trade, investment, oil, gas, electricity and free zones…

Latakia, Sept. 16 (SANA)Chief of General Staff atDefense MinistryMaj. Gen. Ali al-Naassan, accompanied by Air Force Commander Brigadier General Assem al-Hawari and Naval Forces Commander Brigadier General Mohammad al-Saoud, conducted a tour ofHmeimim Airportin Latakia countryside on Wednesday. The tour was marked by a number of meetings and discussions withRussian militarycommanders there, as part of communication and coordination between the two sides. Earlier in February, Defence Minister Maj. Gen. Murhaf Abu Qasra held talks in Damascus, in the presence of Maj. Gen. al-Naassan, with Russi…